


the inner workings of a mismatched family

by riveatstoes



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: i dont know how to tag so just take this as the sign that it’s purely platonic n stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29265792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riveatstoes/pseuds/riveatstoes
Summary: i wanted to write a purely platonic fic between the gorillaz members. so here it is.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	the inner workings of a mismatched family

**Author's Note:**

> i’m honestly just posting anything i have so that i don’t have to let them sit there taking up space. i tried my best. i hope i made it clear enough that i don’t like 2nu, and that their brother-sister relationship is clearly superior to anything romantic they “have.”

There were many things that made 2D consider himself lucky he was out of his parents’ house; all “on his own.” It gave him this weird sense of independence. At first he was able to convince himself that it was just because he was a forty-something-year-old man and if, somehow, he still lived with his parents, it would be weird. It actually took him quite a while to realize that that was completely incorrect; there was a lot more to it.

-

“I’m gonna get ya!” Murdoc shouted, slamming the buttons on his controller quite aggressively. He was never really any good at Super Smash Bros., anyone could come to that conclusion watching him play. He was on his last life and at 154% damage, so it would be at any moment he’d be punched off the platform.

2D could probably beat him with his eyes closed (he almost has before,) but he decided not to get all cocky yet. He was about to get just the right angle in order to punch him off, and...the screen went black.

“Hey!” He complained, “You can’t do that jus’ ‘cause I was about to win!”

Murdoc shrugged and threw the cord down, “Well it looks like I just did, doesn't it?” and with that, he disappeared, most likely going to find a smoke or something.

Groaning, 2D stood up and plugged the machine back in, knowing fully well that if he hadn’t while the thought was still fresh, nobody would for at least a few weeks. Still, even if he was annoyed, he couldn’t really have imagined that going any differently. Even if he had managed to win, Murdoc most likely would’ve done something as revenge.

That was just how playing with him went, and that was okay.

-

2D and Russel had this weird passtime. When either of them communicated that they were bored, the other would start the car and they’d start driving. The first place that caught the bored party’s interest was where they went, whether it be a restaurant, some flower shop, or, in this case, a thrift store.

“Okay, well,” Russel began, “how about we each go pick something out for each other? I think that would be nice.”

“Let’s do that, then!”

The two of them separated, 2D heading towards the back and Russel staying closer to the front. There wasn’t much in the back of the store, but he was able to find a yellow beanie he thought Russel’d like. It had a patch on the side; of what, he had no idea. 2D thought the ambiguity would make the gesture better.

Suddenly, Russel ran over to him, and out of instinct, 2D stuffed the beanie in the pocket of his jacket.

“Look what I found,” he says, holding up something. 2D took it from him to see what Russel was looking at, and did a weird sort of half-smile/half-grimace when he saw it. It was a perfectly good copy of their Demon Days album. Technically it shouldn’t have surprised him since people give away CDs all the time, but it was still kind of offensive to think that someone had the thought of giving theirs away. 

“We should buy it and see if the cashier notices,” 2D suggests, and Russel agrees. Of course they already had copies of their music and would probably end up just signing it and giving it away, but it was a better life than allowing it to sit on the shelf for months, possibly years.

So they took the CD and walked to the register, their plan from earlier entirely abandoned. The lady there looked about nineteen, with bright red hair. She took the item without looking much at them, and then her eyes widened, “I love this band! I never knew we had this…” she scans it and hands it back.

That must’ve been the first really good look at them, because the second she did, her eyes were the size of saucers, “Oh my god.”

Usually the attention wouldn’t faze any of the four of them, but for some reason, her noticing them made 2D giddy. She asked for pictures, and they agreed, then informing her that they were planning on signing the CD and giving it away, so she might just be lucky. That made her even more excited, and it was in that moment they both knew who it was going to.

Maybe if that conversation never happened, 2D would’ve noticed that he still had the beanie in his pocket, and he wouldn’t have accidentally stolen it.

They went home and told Noodle and Murdoc about the encounter - one was more excited than the other - and told them that they all had to sign it. They did so, each of them doing it on the inside with different colored Sharpies. None of them doubted she wouldn’t be on her shift for much longer, so within five minutes all of them were in the car and headed back to the thrift store.

To say the least, the girl was amazed. She took more pictures, got a few hugs, and it was great. Murdoc pretended not to be happy, but everyone else knew better than to actually believe that nonsense.

They turned to leave, and 2D stuck his hand into his pocket to protect from the cold. That’s when he realized he still had the beanie - “Oh! Miss!” he ran back in and paid for it; just as he thought, Russel loved it.

-

Maybe it was stupid, but 2D genuinely believed that Noodle was a sister to him. He did all of the brotherly things - making her food, folding her laundry sometimes, sharing with her the existential dread he holds within him at midnight while they both eat cereal - all of them. But one of his favorite things to do was to be a general nuisance. He’d block the doorway so she couldn’t enter a certain room, take something (nothing too personal) and move it to a different place so that she couldn’t find it, and occasionally put his phone by her door and blast dumb YouTube videos until she opens the door and turns them off herself.

She never took any of these personally; in fact, she said herself she thinks they’re quite funny. So the acts of annoyance never stopped.

On this particular day, he decided out of the blue that he was bored - could you decide that? Probably not, but he did. So, just like any other day like this, he got up and made the trip all the way to Noodle’s room just to mess with her. It was probably five in the afternoon, so of course she wouldn’t be asleep or anything. Plus, Murdoc was out running errands so they wouldn’t get yelled at for messing around this time.

2D opened her door and walked in, completely ignoring her only slightly annoyed ‘what’ the moment he did. Instead, he simply walked over to her dresser/TV stand and sat on it cross-legged. Just. Right next to the TV. Seeing the kind of game he was trying to play, she just sighed and went back to doing whatever she was doing on her phone.

He sat there for a moment, planning out his next steps very carefully. What would it be today? Maybe this would be the end of it, or maybe he’d start screeching some random song at the top of his lungs. It was all up to whatever he decided now.

Eventually, he did decide, and jumped off the dresser. Out of the corner of your eye you’d think he was a weird, lanky cat, but then you’d think “that makes no bloody sense,” which it doesn't.

The move he makes isn’t as calculated as he’d like it to be, but it would have to do. He falls backwards dramatically onto her bed, landing the opposite way she was. His back ran against her knees, and it wasn’t exactly the most comfortable thing considering his height, but it had to have been something.

“So, how are you today?” he asks, smiling a wide smile he knew very well meant ‘I’m doing something to annoy you. Haha, get got.’

Noodle smiles as well and places her phone face-down against her stomach, “Alright. I see how this is going to be. What you have not considered is that I am stronger than you.”

“Wh-” Before 2D could manage a full response, she leans over at just the right angle, grabs him by the legs, and flips him off the bed. He lands face-down on the wooden floor, convinced for a moment that his nose broke. Then he realizes he’s being dramatic and stupid, so he doesn't say anything.

Alrighty then, time for phase two.

This was never planned, but since it was in the back of his mind anyways, he just starts screaming. At first it’s simple things, like, “I’M BORED” and “HOW COULD YOU” but it slowly turns into song lyrics, and before he even realizes it, he’s yelling the entirety of “Feel Good Inc.” Weird.

Halfway through the first rap section, Noodle cuts him off by pulling him back up onto the bed and telling him to shut up. But she says it through laughter, so he doesn't take it too personally.

“Oh, look who’s being nice now.”

“I wasn’t gonna keep a screaming child on the floor forever, ‘D.”

“I’m not a child.”

“Look me in the eyes,” she said, and he did, “You may not be a child, but you sure were acting like one. I know your tricks. I’m not surprised. Therefore, I win.”

“You do not!”

She smiled, “I do, too.”

This eventually led to a full-on staring contest. Neither of them knew who first initiated it, but it was lasting longer than anything else they’d ever done. There were no consequences to losing, but there was shame. Neither of them wanted shame. 

Noodle was smarter, though. She tried to get him to blink through tricks, manipulation, and snide remarks. She had this look in her eyes that made 2D doubt he could make it without giving up.

Then, it seemed like she got an idea. It took a few minutes to initiate, but after that, she looked him straight in the face and said, rather loudly, “Are we about to kiss right now?” - They both lost it. But, of course, 2D blinked first.

And it must’ve gotten the house’s attention, because they could hear Russel a few rooms over, singing, “Sweet home Alabama!” Which made the laughing last longer.

2D sighed, “You won.”

“I did.”

-

Movie night was regular in the Niccals-Pot-Hobbs-...Noodle household. It was held every other Friday, and the role of choosing the movie was rotated. This week was Noodle’s week to choose, and just to get on the nerves of everyone, she picked My Little Pony: Equestria Girls. The only one who truly minded, though, was Murdoc, and even he shut his trap for the sake of Noodle’s happiness.

“Oh wow,” he muttered sarcastically, “A portal to the human world. And they’re not even human! No human is purple! That kid is lime green! This movie makes no sense.”

“Murdoc,” Noodle turned to face him, “You’re green.”

He looked down at his hands, “Well, I sure am, aren't I? Bloody hell…”

“How drunk are you?”

“...What.”

“Nevermind.”

The movie continued on, and as it did, 2D slowly began to think that it must’ve had the same budget as his terrible zombie movies. It wasn’t very good, and at least his zombie movies had flair! This was just...weird. And kind of a disgrace to the My Little Pony universe. Human Fluttershy was kind of cute, though.

Near the end, when Sunset Shimmer became the weird demon thing, Murdoc had a huge bone to pick about the way the Mane Six went about it, “The magic of friendship? Seriously? What a trash way to solve your problems!”

“I don’t know, ‘Doc,” 2D said, a stupid smile on his face, “The power of friendship is pretty strong. Don’t you feel it within us?”

“No.”

“D’aw. I got excited for a second there. I thought we were friends.”

“The odds of us being friends are about as low as me not hitting you with a sock full of ice cubes.”

“You wouldn’t do that.”

“I would.”

Noodle narrowed her eyes at him, “You wouldn’t.”

“I wouldn’t.”

The movie ended and, after the clean-up process was completed, they all went to bed. An attempt at saying goodnight earned a grunt from Murdoc, a small ‘night’ from Russel, and a hug from Noodle. While their reactions were different, it was all acknowledgement, which was more than he ever got with his “real” family. It was something to be happy about.

These people, whether they liked it or not, were his family, and though it took a while to realize why and how, he loved them. He just hoped they truly felt the same and weren’t lying. 

That...that would be bad.


End file.
